Edward Thompson Taylor

Edward Thompson Taylor was an American Methodist minister. He joined the New England Annual Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1819 and was an itinerant preacher in southeastern New England foryears. In 1829, the Port Society of Boston hired Taylor to be the chaplain of the Seamens Bethel, a mission to sailors. In Boston, Father Taylor became famous as an eloquent and colorful preacher, a sailors advocate, and a temperance activist.

Edward T. Taylor was born near Richmond, Virginia, on December 25, 1793, but he never knew his parents. Raised by a foster mother, he ran away from home at the age of seven to begin a career as a sailor. In 1811 he came to the port of Boston, Massachusetts. There, he heard a sermon by Edward D. Griffin at the Park Street Church and exclaimed, Why cant I preach so Ill try it. Not long after, Taylor heard the powerful preaching of the Methodist Elijah Hedding, and he began attending Methodist church services and prayer meetings.

Source: Wikipedia